The subject matter of this invention relates generally to a dental polishing apparatus, of the type that incorporates the conveyance under pressure of a fluid, having an abrasive material entrained or confined therein, and for forceful application against the teeth of a patient to perform a polishing or cleaning function.
There are a large variety of prior developments relating to apparatuses that are useful in the dental profession for the treatment of patient's teeth, and generally, most of these apparatuses include various types of polishers, water delivery systems, pressurized air projectors, in addition to electrical drill means, and other appliances that are attached to a console that supplies them with the necessary electrical energy, air pressure, water pressure, and other discrete energies needed for application and usage of these type of devices. Instruments of these type are shown in the U.S. patent to Balamuth, No. 3,075,288, showing a dental instrument, in addition to another patent to the same and additional inventors, U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,537, pertaining to a supply and control apparatus for a vibratory cutting device. Another method for cleaning teeth, and the apparatus used in conjunction therewith, is shown in the U.S. patent to Gallant, No. 4,174,571. An additional patent to the same inventor upon equipment and method for delivering an abrasive-laden gas stream is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,402. A related type of air-abrasive prophylaxis equipment is shown in the U.S. patent to Black, No. 3,882,638. Another patent showing the use of an abrasive for application for removing a coating is shown in the McFaddan patent No. 2,876,601. The Caron U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,963, shows a blaster device, wherein the abrasive material is held within its cannister associated with the instrument. A multi-purpose dental syringe apparatus is shown in the patent to Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,423. Another device for cleaning teeth is shown in the Landgraf U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,803. A further type of device for surface treatment of teeth is shown in the Hain, et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,322. Another dental cleaning system is shown in the patent to Warren, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,582. And, a sand blasting apparatus wherein a supply of polishing material is provided within a reservoir connecting with its air tube for delivery of abrasive material to the situs of cleaning is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,778.
In most instances, where a teeth polishing apparatus is employed, generally it is marketed in combination with its own operational unit, which not only supplies the delivery of power, water, and abrasive material to the hand held instrument, for attaining a polishing of teeth, but the overall assembly is marketed as a rather expensive integral unit for achieving just that singular result, and that is to provide polishing of the teeth. Numerous of these types of units are available upon the market, and in every instance the polishing instrument is associated with its own particular operational console that furnishes its necessary ingredients for attaining overall operation of the polishing instrument.